originally posted by: VictorVonDoom
The obvious way to attack the opiod problem is to attack the source. Go after the Mexican cartels.

The source of the opioid problem is the pharmaceutical companies. It started there...

In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to prescription opioid pain
relievers, and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates.

Opioid overdose rates began to increase. In 2015, more than 33,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose, including prescription
opioids, heroin, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.1 That same year, an estimated 2 million people in the United States
suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers,

Opioid addiction does not begin as an illicit problem. It begins as a perfectly legal, socially acceptable and prescribed one, at least in the United
States. That's why it's so prevalent, it has the air of normalcy or even respectability in the beginning. A drug dealer on the street is more honest
frankly. Although, it can often shift into illicit sources as the addiction progresses and addicts find it more difficult to get it prescribed to
them as their Dr (s) eventually begin to suspect an addiction and they need more and more as their tolerance builds.

Going after "the Mexican cartels" is a waste of resources when it comes to this issue. Our source for this addictive cycle is entirely internal and
far more powerful, organized and untouchable than Mexican drug cartels. So untouchable in fact, that most people (such as yourself) can't even
recognize the source of the problem when it is right in front of them.

There's already a shortage of doctors. Arresting those who over-prescribe Opioid medications would reduce their numbers by about 20%, don't you
think?

So, pardoning unethical doctors, not averse to serious malpractice, is better than punishing them while also sending a message to other doctors the
risk to their livelihood if they contribute to the opioid crisis?

I mean, seriously, unethical doctors overprescribing is a major part of the crisis in the first place...
How the hell do you expect to tackle the crisis if you do not remove those doctors from practicing?

Very assbackwards.

Hey, I hear there is a babysitter shortage, maybe people hiring should consider molesters, it’s better than a shortage shortly?

There's already a shortage of doctors. Arresting those who over-prescribe Opioid medications would reduce their numbers by about 20%, don't you
think?

I mean, seriously, unethical doctors overprescribing is a major part of the crisis in the first place...

Honestly, I disagree. I don't think that most of these physicians are "unethical" exactly. I will say that pharmaceutical companies have had a firm
hand in studies determining Best Practice regarding pain management. In short, the information these health care providers use is often influenced by
biased studies (among other things).

Most (although certainly not all) of these Dr.'s prescribing these opiates really feel like they are doing the right thing. The proverbial chickens
are coming home to roost though and there is an almost panicked awareness in health care about opioid addiction and they are becoming far more
reluctant to prescribe these things.

It's rolling out slowly, and I suspect that the pharmaceutical companies are beginning to implement a counter attack to that, but we shall see.

Having said all that, I do think that the medical field needs to be hyper vigilant regarding physicians that are basically drug dealing. It
absolutely does happen. My mother got hooked on opiates because of a Dr. Feelgood ( he was a DO though, which is a whole different rant for me, but I
digress).

originally posted by: sligtlyskeptical
As far as Trumps plan, I would guess it is very similar to Duterte's, which of course is why it needs to be kept unsaid.

I think that you're right. As a drug addict (19 years sober), I'm screwed. My baby was meth though, opioids make me puke, so maybe I'll be ok...?
Might be good to have bolt holes planned though.

Although, there is just as good a chance as he won't kill anyone (we are a civilized country after all right) and just throw as many warm bodies as
possible into the private prison industry. Slavery through pharmaceuticals. Win, win in the end.

The hilarious part is that many of his supporters have issues with addiction (poor and male is a serious indicator folks sorry, I'm not just hating on
Trumpers), and they'll back this up. "Heck yeah! Kill all them junkies... At least the Mexican ones! Yeah! Just not me... They can't mean me..."
I dunno. Maybe those white nationalist meth heads will get a pass, and granny with her oxy script from multiple MD's will get a pass as long as she's
white.

Nah, more meat for the meat grinder. We're all the same color on the inside right?

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